Several outstanding players were first named by sources in the 1743 English cricket season. The increasing popularity of single wicket is evident in a three-a-side match which was publicised as a contest between the "best six players in England", and reportedly drew a crowd of over 10,000 into the Artillery Ground. Other events included a revolutionary new ball design. Details of 24 matches are known. [note 1]
This was a three-a-side single wicket game, played 11 July at the Artillery Ground. The six players involved were publicised as "the best in England". They were William Hodsoll (Dartford), John Cutbush (Maidstone), and Val Romney (Sevenoaks) playing as Three of Kent; and Richard Newland (Slindon), William Sawyer (Richmond) and John Bryant (Bromley) playing as Three of England. Hodsoll and Newland were the captains. [5]
The Daily Advertiser of Thursday, 7 July says Ridgeway was to play alongside Hodsoll and Romney. [6] Then, on Friday, 8 July, Cutbush, known to have been a clockmaker from Maidstone, [7] was named instead of Ridgeway. Kent won by 2 runs. The London Evening Post says the crowd was computed to be over 10,000. A return match was arranged at Sevenoaks Vine on Wednesday, 27 July, but it did not come off. [8] [6] [9]
Two more single wicket events were arranged in August between Five of London and Five of Richmond. The venues were Richmond Green and the Artillery Ground. Neither result is known. [5]
On 16 May, Kent played against a combined London, Middlesex & Surrey team (LMS) on Bromley Common. [10] LMS batted first and scored 97. Kent in reply made 69. In their second innings, LMS had made 112/3 when time was up at eight o'clock (20:00). The match situation was that LMS led by 140 runs with seven wickets in hand. It was initially agreed to continue next day, but Kent later "gave up the match". [7] The LMS team was also described as Lord Montfort's XI. Montfort was associated with the London club and seems to have been a noted patron of the game, although this match is the only one with which he can be directly associated. The Kent side was organised by Lord John Philip Sackville. [5] [11] [12]
On Monday, 25 July, London met Addington on the Artillery Ground. [10] Addington is about 3 miles south-east of Croydon and this was the club's first game in London. They had a very strong eleven for some years at this time and the club immediately accepted the Slindon challenge, in 1744, to play against "any parish in England". Robert Colchin of Bromley and Tom Peake of Chelsfield played for Addington as given men. William Sawyer of Richmond played for London as a given man. Tom Peake, who died in 1767, lived at Chelsfield and Orpington. London batting first made 32 and 74. Addington in their only innings scored 110 and so won by an innings and 4 runs. [5] [8]
The heavy modern-type ball with wound core and a thick leather cover may have come into use about this time. Ashley-Cooper recorded that a Mr Clout was active in Sevenoaks as "the first cricket ball maker of any pretension". [5] The better-known equipment manufacturing firm of Dukes was founded 1760 in Penshurst. [13]
Tuesday, 26 April. The Daily Advertiser reported that a British Army deserter called Stephen Rose, from Chertsey and aged 21, was "a famous Cricket-Player". [14]
Friday, 27 May. Woburn v London at Woburn Park. London won. [10] [5]
Saturday, 28 May. Woburn v London at Woburn Park. Woburn won. This match must have been arranged as soon as the previous one finished. The later game on 13 June may have been intended to be a decider. [10] [5]
Monday, 6 June. A game between teams from Shacklewell and Westminster was played at The Cock in Shacklewell, near Stoke Newington. This is evidence of the involvement of the brewing industry in the sport; a number of grounds, ranging from Broadhalfpenny Down to Trent Bridge, were established on fields adjacent to inns and taverns. [5]
Thursday, 9 June. Deptford & Greenwich v London at Blackheath. Deptford & Greenwich won. [10] [15]
Monday, 13 June. London v Woburn on the Artillery Ground. Woburn won by 54 runs. [10] [5] [15]
Monday, 13 June. Dartford v Rochester on Dartford Brent. Dartford won by 30 runs. [16]
Thursday, 16 June. A game on Walworth Common in which a team from Bermondsey defeated one from Deptford & the King's Yard by an innings and 27 runs. Clearly a minor fixture but Ashley-Cooper helpfully explained that Walworth Common was situated where Westmoreland Road, Faraday Street and Mann Street stood in 1900. He says the ground was "about three-quarters of a mile from where Montpelier Cricket Club's Bee Hive Ground afterwards existed". [5]
Thursday, 23 June. Rochester v Dartford at Marsh's, Rochester. Result unknown. [17]
Friday, 24 June. Bromley & Chislehurst v London on Bromley Common. Bromley & Chislehurst won "with difficulty". [10] [5]
Monday, 27 June. London v Bromley & Chislehurst on the Artillery Ground. Result unknown. [10] [5]
Monday, 4 July. Kingston & Richmond v London on Richmond Green. [10] Robert Colchin ("Long Robin") of Bromley played for London as a given man. This is the earliest known mention of Colchin. London won. [5] [18]
July. A report in the Kentish Weekly Post on 9 July that Horsmonden, at home, had defeated a team from the combined villages of Romney, Cranbrook and Staplehurst with a return due to take place on 11 July. [6]
Monday, 18 July. London v Kingston & Richmond on the Artillery Ground. [10] Colchin again played for London as a given man. Scores are known: London 57 and 117; K&R 55 and 52, so London won by 67 runs. [5] [15]
Monday, 1 August. Woburn v London at Woburn Park. London scored 46 and 60; Woburn 72 and 31. London won by 3 runs. [10] [5] [19]
Wednesday, 3 August. "Lewes Rape" v "Pevensey Rape" on Lewes Down, near the "Horse-Course". Although this was a village match between two Sussex parishes, the stake was "a considerable sum of money". [9] [5]
Monday, 8 August. London v Woburn on the Artillery Ground. Woburn scored 104 and 36; London 93 and 48/9 to win by 1 wicket. [10] [5] [19]
23 and 24 August. Sevenoaks v London on Sevenoaks Vine. [10] Scores are known: London 41 and 54; Sevenoaks 49 and 40. Sevenoaks had been 24/6 in the second innings at close of play on the Tuesday, still needing 23 to win. London won 6 runs. [5] [19]
Monday, 29 August. London v Sevenoaks on the Artillery Ground. [10] London won. The match report states that London won "with great difficulty" and that: "the match played on Sevenoaks Vine, being won with great difficulty by London, has caused several considerable bets to be laid, between the noblemen and gentlemen then present; 'tis desired all persons will keep the utmost extent of the line". [5] [20] [15]
Monday, 5 September. A match at Finningham between teams from Finningham and Stradbroke is the earliest known reference to cricket in the county of Suffolk. [21] Stradbroke, who had some given men from Stowmarket, won the match. [22]
5 and 6 September. London v Horsmonden & Weald on the Artillery Ground. [10] London won by 1 wicket, and three runs were still required when the last man went in. [23] [20] [24]
Monday, 12 September. London v Horsmonden & Weald on the Artillery Ground. [10] London won. [23] [20] [24]
Wednesday, 14 September. London v Sevenoaks on the Artillery Ground. [10] Pre-announced as "the third great match of cricket" between the two sides. Result unknown. [23] [24]
Monday, 19 September. London v Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Middlesex on the Artillery Ground. [10] It was announced beforehand that: "the days being short, it is ordered that the wickets be pitched at 10 o’clock. This will be the last great match of the season". London won by 53 runs. [23] [24]
September (date unknown). London v Horsmonden & Weald. Venue and result unknown. [20]